Afraid to do needed drain and fill because my fill water looks so bad

[mflawson]

I have a serious need to drain/refill my pool due to years of chemical accumulations by the previous owner.

CYA 130 (50% dilution method)
CH 525
Copper 0.8
FC 17
CC 0.5
TA 110
pH 7.8
Salt 0
Phosphate 0
Iron 0

As an experiment, I drained and filled just the spa section. It looks HORRIBLE with the city water I'm on. (See photo below.) I'm afraid if I do the whole pool, it will look as bad as the spa. Should I proceed anyway and trust that the SLAM process will bring it back to normal? Here's the fill water chemistry:

Copper 0.08
Iron 0.03
Phosphate 0
FC 0.2
CC 1.4
pH 7.8
TA 90
CH 120



Thanks for any advice!

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Have you ever considered having water trucked in? Sometimes folks who are on wells do this so as to not stress their well and pump. Folks also do it when they have iffy water.

I'd call around and see if you can price this..... It might be worth the effort?

Maddie

 

[woodyp]

SLAM will NOT fix the copper and iron precipitating into your pool water. Both are at or above the recommended "safety" levels to keep it from doing that. Keep your ph closer to 7.2 and consider using a sequesterant.

 

[Richard320]

Might be too late now, but have you tried just running the spa for a few hours to see if that greenish tint filters out?
Those are pool store test results, and I don't know that I trust the metal test any more than I rust any other tests they do. The high CC is because they use chloramines to prevent corrosion. Well, maybe they were a little late with that and your water system has old steel pipes and thus rusty water.

 

[mflawson]

Might be too late now, but have you tried just running the spa for a few hours to see if that greenish tint filters out?
Those are pool store test results, and I don't know that I trust the metal test any more than I rust any other tests they do. The high CC is because they use chloramines to prevent corrosion. Well, maybe they were a little late with that and your water system has old steel pipes and thus rusty water.

Thanks. Not pool store test results; I ran all the relevant tests myself. The copper test used titrants. I like your idea of running just the spa for awhile -- maybe even with some DE or "slime bag" inline. I have to work out something in the plumbing first, though -- I tried doing that on a different occasion, and the pump was somehow sucking both pool water and spa water even though the Jandy valves were selected "spa only".

 

[mflawson]

Have you ever considered having water trucked in? Sometimes folks who are on wells do this so as to not stress their well and pump. Folks also do it when they have iffy water.

I'd call around and see if you can price this..... It might be worth the effort?

Maddie

Good idea. Before doing that, though, I'd probably try hooking up a rainwater catchment -- I have LOTS of roof space that could funnel pure rainwater into the pool!

 

[IMissNimoy]

Thanks. Not pool store test results; I ran all the relevant tests myself. The copper test used titrants. I like your idea of running just the spa for awhile -- maybe even with some DE or "slime bag" inline. I have to work out something in the plumbing first, though -- I tried doing that on a different occasion, and the pump was somehow sucking both pool water and spa water even though the Jandy valves were selected "spa only".

What test kit did you use for copper and iron?